Overcleaning.. Possible?

[JimmAr]

I recently picked up a russian captured Kar98k the damn things bore was dirtier then any gun id ever cleaned.. most of went through 20+ patches.. and 2 bore brushes..

I had some no.10 bore solvent id had laying around for years...

I later whipped up some home made bore cleaner..got job done alot quicker.

Mp-7 Rust/Corrosion inhibitor
Lacquer thinner
Carb cleaner

Ultimately I usually brush and remove the bolt till theres no blemishes down the bore, rifling being clean and crisp.. is my obsession with cleanliness hurting my rifles?

 

[nicholst55]

As long as you're protecting the muzzle from cleaning rod wear by cleaning from the breech, and not leaving extremely aggressive bore cleaners in the bore for too long, you should be fine.

I would caution against mixing chemicals like that, though - some concoctions can cause toxic fumes and others can etch the metal in your bore.

Google 'Ed's Red' - a good homemade bore cleaner for carbon removal, and one proven safe when used with common sense.

If you're cleaning rifles with match-quality aftermarket barrels, you should be using a bore guide for your cleaning rod. Some argue against the use of bronze bore brushes; some say to use a jag tip for your cleaning rod and never to push it clear out the muzzle.

For milsurps and most hunting rifles, that's all nice but probably overkill. I do try to use a bore guide for every rifle for which one is available just because, but I'm not convinced about some of the extremes that some people go to.

 

[Drail]

Very good advice from nicholst55.

 

[Wvladimire]

My grandfather, God rest his soul, who was in WWI used to say that a reliable weapon is a clean weapon.

You can also use "Simple Green" as a cleaner. It works wonders on dirt, grime, dried on grease or oil, and other muck. Plus it doesn't eat my skin or hurt my lungs. If you have copper or lead fouling, I usually plug the end, then give the bore a good spray of WD-40. Let sit for 10-15 mins, then run patches through till dry, and then clean bore with Simple Green.

 

[ZRX61]

Simple Green is banned in a lot of aviation businesses because it's corrosive as all get out.

 

[jrhines]

Simple Green banned???

Citation please, I'm heading for Google even as we speak.

 

[fireman 9731]

I have just attached my bore brush and cleaning rod to my handy cordless drill for those really bad jobs... well lubed of course and being careful of the crown and such.... it makes fast work!

 

[jacobhh]

Pull the bolt and clean from the chamber towards the muzzle. Don't be
afraid to use a brass brush 3 to 5 times after allowing a good bore
cleaner to 'set' for about a half hour, then patch it out somewhat
clean. If you're using corrosive ammo, same deal, except flush the
bore with water first.

Do not clean until your heart's content. ' overcleaning has ruined
more bores than shooting.'

 

[highlander 5]

I work for a major jet engine manufacturer and we use Simple Green Aircraft specifically formulated for cleaning aircraft engines. Regular Simple Green and Formula 409 are very corrosive to the steels and the exotic alloys used in jet engines.
For cleaning bores I use Hoppe's No 9 and then JB Bore paste and for severe fouling Shooter's Choice Copper Remover then JB Bore paste.

 

[rcmodel]

For cleaning bores I use Hoppe's No 9 and then JB Bore paste and for severe fouling Shooter's Choice Copper Remover then JB Bore paste.

+1
That is the best method available, short of an electrolysis bore cleaner like the Outers Foul-Out system.

IMO: Spinning a bore brush in a barrel with a drill will really not do a very good job on the rifling. Great for chambers, but not rifling.
The bristles are running 90 degrees to the lands & grooves, and will not get fouling out of the grooves next to the lands.

In severe cases of fouling like you may find on old Mil-Sups, I have even used 0000 steel wool & Hoppe's #9 wrapped around a bore brush to cut through some of the crap that is otherwise not going to come out.

Don't worry about harming the bore on an old Mil-Sup with a black bore. It is already harmed if you don't get all the fouling out of it.

rcmodel

 

[Drail]

My drill sargeant assured us there was no way to overclean a weapon. He was very positive on this point.

 

[Al Thompson]

Mine too. Both were wrong.

I've seem more guns ruined by "overcleaning" and using abusive methods than anything else.

Guy I knew took an abrasive pad to a parkerized 1911, went from a 2k pistol to a 400 $ one in minutes.